Reviews (27)

Don't get involved with things you don't understand
"Serpent and the Rainbow" is a classic horror voodoo flick with a good dose of intrigue and mystery to keep the viewer guessing. Perhaps the highlight is Zakes Mokae brillant performance as the evil voodoo high priest Dr. Peytraud. He steals each and every scene that he's in. Bill Pullman is passable as the naive doctor searching Haiti for a magic drug that turns humans into zombies. With any Wes Craven film, there are plenty of spooky "dream" sequences were the lines between reality and the sub-conscious become blurred. This film should not serve as an introduction to the practices of voodoo, possession or zombies but just as a fun, scary film that should remind many of the B-movies of the 50's.

The World of Black Magic
An interesting, yet far-fetched tale of black magic and political upheaval during the final days of the regime of Haiti's dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier is entertaining fare for any horror fan. An anthropologist (Pullman) is sent to Haiti to investigate the mystery of that country's zombies. There he gets himself involved in the chaos that erupts in the world's oldest black republic in addition to discovering a world of black magic that brings him more trouble than he expects.

Directed by horror-king Wes Craven ("Scream"; "Nightmare on Elm Street"), the "Serpent and The Rainbow," is partially based on the novel by the same title by anthropologist Wade Davis. Unlike his book, the film moves away from the books central theme and into a horror movie only Hollywood could create. Although, a reviewer from the neighboring Dominican Republic says that he totally agrees with the voodoo theme of the film, he probably has read or done his research in understanding the complexity of Haitian spiritualism. Due to both countries ongoing strife with one another, I would ignore such comments if I were a newcomer to the topic, and read the book before watching this film.

Having very scary scenes, including a live burial, and a final battle with a the head voodoo master was great, but the film lacks the authencity of a true story converted into a horror film (e.g. "Amityville Horror"). Regardless, this is a good film if you want to take a glimpse of poverty-stricken Haiti and the severity of race and politics on the western end of Hispaniola.

Great, except for the ending.
This is a well-crafted thriller. It weaves together everything from Amazonian shamans and ayahuasca dream-visions to Haitian voodoo rituals into a ripping yarn that follows the explorations of a Harvard anthropologist in search of the next great medical breakthrough. Retained by a medical conglomerate, he ventures to Haiti to find the secret of zombification. He finds it alright, together with a host of creepy characters and a sexy native doctor. The acting is altogether first-rate. Not a weak performance in the lot (though Bill Pullman is not the best of the group).

It's visually fascinating, engrossing, and just enough grounded in reality ... until an ending that is both rushed and almost comical. I don't to ruin it, and you really should watch it--if for no other reason than to speculate about how you might have ended the movie.

Surprisingly Excellent Creepy Drama/Horror
Though not nearly as famous as "Scream" or "Nightmare on Elm Street", this is possibly Craven's best film. It isn't a terrifying movie but is a spooky film with a smart, well written story. This is one of Bill Pullman's earliest roles (first time I'd seen him) and he does a great job as a scientist sent to Haiti by a pharmaceutical firm to research the medicinal potential of a mysterious powder known to plunge people into a temporary deathlike state. The story effectively touches many different topics (life under the Duvalier regime, profiteering drug companies, religion, the supernatural...) without overdoing any of them. This is a diamond in the rough. You'll get more enjoyment out of it than you expect. Always a nice situation.

Great Craven romp
Making an attempt to legitimize a horror film, Wes Craven adapted the best selling true life account by Wade Davis into this creepy horror romp. When a Harvard researcher (Bill Pullman) travels to Haiti to find a mysterious voodoo powder which can put anyone whom it is given to in a state of perpetual death, he gets way, way in over his head as he tries to uncover the mysteries behind the black magic. Craven manages to play with the viewer's psychological fears (including arachnophobia and claustrophobia as Pullman is buried alive with a huge tarantula crawling all over him) while inducing a few visceral thrills as well, but The Serpent & The Rainbow is definitely one of Craven's best films thanks to the realistic touch given to the film and Pullman's superb performance. Just like Universal's recent horror DVD re-releases, The Serpent & The Rainbow is devoid of any extras whatsoever, not even a trailer. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Do your parents know you're Ramones?" With those withering words, Miss Togar (Mary Woronov), the uptight neofascist principal of Vince Lombardi High School, addresses the four mop-haired, leather-jacketed members of America's first and most famous punk band. And you know it won't be long before the Ramones's jackhammer riffs are blaring through the public address system at maximum volume, the kids are running--not walking--wild in the hallways (without passes!), and Miss Togar's gulag is re-christened "Rock 'n' Roll High School." Then, in keeping with the outrageously nihilistic animus of punk, the high school students and the Ramones just blow the place to smithereens. It's a crowd- pleasing, fantasy-fulfillment climax that combines the apocalyptic finale of Michelangelo Antonioni's Zabriskie Point with the explosive conclusion of Alice Cooper's "School's Out." Rock 'n' Roll High School is a blast, a goofy and liberating salute to the rebel spirit behind the teen rock & roll movies of the 1950s, which always pitted the kids' insatiable appetite for fun against the adults' fear-based authoritarianism. The film is emblematic of the disarmingly silly, tongue-in-cheek humor of the youth-oriented B-pictures cranked out in the '50s and '60s by renowned low-budget exploitation mogul Roger Corman (who gave many a hungry young filmmaker, including the creators of this film, their start in the biz), and of the noisy, anarchic energy of '70s punk rock, as personified by the inimitable Ramones. In the words of the maestros' beach-blanket-buzz-saw title anthem, this movie is "Fun, fun, oh baby, fun, fun..." --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (54)

The Ramones kick!!
I own Rock and Roll Highschool. This movie is awesome!!! The Ramones totally can't act, and they give all the lines to Joey, but hey, the movie is a classic. Its got some great scenes (i love when they blow up the school) and AWESOME music. I was surprised they put music from Paul McCartney and Wings in their since Paul isn't even close to punk, but thats cool wit me cuz im a big wings fan anywayz. They put great Ramones songs in it too. ( i wish they put beat on the brat in it,i love that song but it has nuttin to do with the movie)

The Kids Are All Hopped Up And Ready To Go
It's hard to admit, but the recent death of Joey Ramone took a lot of the wind out of my sails, bringing with it a feeling of vulnerability, mortality and, yes, approaching middle age. Having said that, it's a treat that this part of his legacy is finally available again for all to treasure. Sort of a twisted mix of low-budget 1950's juvenile delinquent movies and 1960's beach comedies, "Rock 'N' Roll High School" has aged surprising well, thanks in most part I guess to the timeless appeal of the "brothers" Ramone. Highlights, besides the hopped up concert footage (filmed in front of an enthusiastic audience), include the Ramones pulling up to a concert venue in an old Cadillac singing "I Just Want To Have Something To Do," a fantasy sequence in which self-proclaimed #1 Ramones fan Riff Randall (P.J. Soles) imagines the band serenading her in her bedroom, complete with Dee Dee and his bass under a running shower, and the final scene in which The Ramones play the title track while the high school explodes behind them in a piece of perfectly staged incendiary directing by Allan Arkush. Timeless, mindless, exuberantly staged entertainment...

Whose the Ramon-e-s
This is the best movie ever, it's funny, has great music, and has the Ramones in it. ME and my friends watch this movies over and over, and there aren't that many movies that we do that to. So if you love a great laugh and great music then this is the movie for you!!!! Rock on

Cult Classic + Ramones = Fun Fun
This is a masterpiece of low budget cinema. Everything about this movie rocks. The Ramones are undoubtedly one of the best punk rock bands of all time and this film showcases them to great effect. Really fantastic live footage. PJ Soles is mighty sweet and Dey Young is even sweeter. Great stuff from Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel and the mighty Dick Miller as well. Some of the cornball dialogue is unforgettable. And did I mention that Dey Young is sweet? She used to make my heart go pitter patter watching this in high school.

"1,2,3,4!!!"
Hey Ho! Let's Go! Listen up, kids. Rock 'n' Roll High School may have been released way back in 1979 but it still kicks the butt of any of those square MTV movies. Forget about Britney Spears and Mandy Moore's brand of bubblegum pop music -- they don't hold a candle to the unbridled power of those punk rockers from New York City, the Ramones!

The movie does a great job of playfully championing the Ramones as rock gods and yet shows them being accessible to their fans. The band first appears in a car driving down the street on the way to their venue as they play "I Just Wanna Have Something To Do." Once outside the club, they get out of the car and interact with the crowd of ticket buyers. The editing, coupled with the insanely catchy song gives the scene an infectious energy.

From B-movie veterans like Paul (Eating Raoul) Bartel and Mary (Death Race 2000) Woronov to newcomers (at the time), P.J. (Halloween) Soles and Dey (Strange Invaders) Young, the entire cast has a lot of fun spouting the film's wonderfully inspired cornball dialogue ("If you don't like it, you can put it where the monkey puts the nuts."). The Ramones are good sports and mumble their way through the film and truly coming alive during the music sequences. The movie rightfully cements their reputation as legends.

Rock 'n' Roll High School embodies the essence of the punk rock music that made the Ramones famous. The film is bursting with youthful energy, a dose of good ol' fashion anarchy and is loads of fun to watch. These are also the ingredients that made Rock 'n' Roll High School a cult film. It was a commercial and critical failure upon its initial release but repeated midnight screenings, coupled with steady appearances on TV, have helped the film endure over the years.

Producer Michael Finnell, screenwriter Richard Whitley and director Alan Arkush deliver an engaging and rather chatty audio commentary. The three men laugh and joke about working on Rock 'n' Roll High School. They clearly have fond memories of their experiences on the movie.

Also included is a dynamic theatrical trailer that gives away the ending! Definitely watch this last if you haven't seen the movie.

Leonard Maltin interviews Roger Corman about the movie. To his credit, the veteran filmmaker admits that he was wrong about the Disco High idea and was glad that Arkush convinced him to go with Rock 'n' Roll High School.

A real treat for fans of the Ramones are several audio outtakes during the filming of the concert sequence. These are the original audio tracks of the band in action.

While Rock 'n' Roll High School will appeal predominantly to fans of the Ramones (duh!), it is also one of those fun, goofy movies to invite friends over and watch with copious amounts of junk food on hand. Despite a lackluster transfer, the audio commentary and audio outtakes are worth the price of purchase for this fantastic cinematic oddity. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Charlie Sheen plays a presidential aide who gets wind of a conspiracy at the highest levels of government and quickly finds himself targeted by the mystery villains. Loaded down by coincidences, improbabilities, and a third-rate script, the film comes across as a poor man's cross between The Firm and The X-Files. Nobody involved gets away clean, especially Sheen, who looks like a man condemned to these awful potboilers. (Remember the days of Wall Street?) But what are Gore Vidal, Theodore Bikel, and Sam Waterston doing in here? Directed by George P. Cosmatos, who has done some lousy work, for sure (Leviathan), but also some good (Tombstone). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A really cool movie!!!!
I thought this movie was really good!!! The actors did a great job. Charlie Sheen was awsome! It is worth your time. And don't you just love the name!

My Favorite Bad Movie
I decided to go ahead and give the film the 1 star it deserves, but anyone who is an afficianado of bad cinema will love this movie. The talented cast never seems to realize what unholy crap they're in. And the story gets steadily more unbelievable until the final, bust-a-gut climax. Personally, I'm looking forward to this being released on DVD...

Not worth your time
It is unbelievable that a movie this poor could be made in 1997. Quite possibly the worst movie I have ever seen, right up there with the Jackel and Mafia!, this movie is an embarrasment for the fine group of actors who opted to take these rolls. A ridiculous plot that is easy to figure out from the beginning doesn't help things and the "action" sequences are nothing more than Sheen running from a trained assassin who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with his oversized pistol and cheesy RC chopper. Before watching this movie, flip through your channels on TV and find a color striped test scene or even black and white fuzz. Watch this for 5-10 minutes and then realize this is better than Shadow Conspiracy. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

drew plays a very beleivable role, and ecellent movie
kristofferson play a cynical cop whose wife and child were killed by a drunk driver, drew berrymore plays a young orphan whose sister is killed by renegade cops. kristofferson is assigned to protect her. you get action, drama, love and loyalty all in one movie. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Pyromania over the top!
The silliness begins in 1955 with newlyweds Brian and Peggy Bell undergoing a secret government experiment to give humans an increased resistance to radiation. As an unfortunate side effect, (don't all nuclear experiments have icky side effects?)their newborn child has developed the ability to cause people to burst into flame. Alas, Brian and Peggy are our first victims and our first hint that this is not going to be a special-effects masterpiece.

Jump to the present-day (late 80's) and our little firestarter is all grown up in the form of university student, Sam Kramer (Brad Dourif). Sam's opening scene is a school play audition wherein his performance is so pathetically bad that even his loving fiance, Lisa (Cynthia Bain) tells him not to quit his day job. If this scene was meant to ease the audience into Dourif's unconventional manner of acting by poking fun at him, it doesn't work, because we'll get to cringe a whole lot more as Dourif spends the rest of the film screaming and bugging his eyes out in an over-the-top performance that, for many other actors, would be a career-ending one. Even if this movie had a decent director, Dourif is woefully miscast and should really stick to roles that welcome complete psychosis like Grima Wormtongue (The Two Towers) and Piter De Vries (Dune).

Cynthia Bain doesn't fare much better, which is a shame because she does show some promise and is one of the better actors in the movie. Indeed, seeing her smiling face early on, while dressed in some attractive, if outdated outfits is one of the few bright points of the film. Unfortunatley, the screenplay soon has her bouncing between moderate to extreme hysteria, reminiscent of the closing scenes of Pumpkinhead, but without the believable motivation. It is actually a testament to her acting abilities that she can keep a straight, albeit tortured face through an increasingly ludicrous and muddled plot. In one scene, while driving her deteriorating, flamethrower of a boyfriend to the doctor, she has to alternately comfort and express her love for him while dodging the jets of flame shooting out of a hole in his arm. With driving skills like these she belongs in NASCAR, not this whacked-out flick.

If you think this sounds completely insane, just wait, it gets better - or worse depending on how you like your camp. After all, the words, "subtle" and "Tobe Hooper" are never found in the same sentence, let alone the same screenplay. As with Hooper's other works like Poltergeist and Lifeforce, the level of chaos and zaniness can only escalate, but in this case, on a very limited budget. Soon Sam Kramer is inadvertently toasting everyone around who even mildly upsets him - from a snotty radio producer (John Landis in a cameo role) to a friendly old security guard to an evil doctor/scientist who's trying to inject our poor hero with some green goo that looks fresh out of a cylume stick. All of this culminates in one of moviedom's most memorably silly climaxes that will leave you either laughing hysterically or uttering a very large: "huh?".

Bottom line: If you enjoy campy movies, Spontaneous Combustion can be quite fun at times. Unfortunately, the film is laced with enough seemingly serious acting and overtones to give the viewer the feeling that it wasn't meant to be funny. This, combined with a demented musical score and some seriously flawed writing make for an experience that can only be truly enjoyed by die-hard Brad Dourif (or Cynthia Bain) fans.

As far as this DVD version goes, the transer is very so-so and the only extra offered is a theatrical trailer. Blech.

CAUTION: Contents of this movie may be hot!
spontaneous combustion
Function: noun
: self-ignition of combustible material through chemical action (as oxidation) of its constituents -- called also spontaneous ignition

The thought of inanimate objects -- such as a pile of rags, or an old collection of tools -- spontaneously bursting into flames, is terrifying. Well, imagine if there was such a thing as spontaneous HUMAN combustion! Pretty scary, huh?

For Sam, it's not only scary, it's reality.

Sam always knew that there was something wrong with him, but he couldn't quite figure out the origin of his problem. After years of research, Sam discovers that his parents had been used in a number of atomic-weapons experiments shortly before he was born. The government was attempting to engineer the perfect weapon for war. When the project fails, the government hides all evidence of the project, and it becomes a tightly-kept secret.

Or did it?

No!

As a result of Sam's parents' repeated exposure to radiation, both of their genetic codes were changed, eventually being passed onto their first (and only) child, Sam. Because of the radiation running through his veins, Sam discovers that he has the uncanny ability to make things AND PEOPLE burst into flames.

Talk about getting "hot under the collar"!

"Spontaneous Combustion" is a masterful horror/sci-fi movie by one of the most talented filmmakers in the industry - Tobe Hooper ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Poltergeist"). ... Read more

Reviews (29)

MORE CORN & ONIONS
This movie really blows! It's among the worst I've ever seen. Not recommended.

Pretty Good if You're Bound and Gagged for Two Hours
Mod Squad is nothing to watch on purpose mind you. It's one of those bad films that requires no thinking at all to get through. That's probably why you could be watching it for over an hour and not even realize what anyone in the scenes are doing. This is the worst ripoff of a television series I have ever seen. The characters didn't act anything like the originals. Omar Epps rocked and as a black person I was embarrassed he even took a part in the mess. He is too good of an actor to even think of taking a role where he had so little to do. Ribisi was unnoticable as the " dumb " one of the group. His lines were supposed to be funny but he only ended up making me more bored. Claire Danes was stylish for once but she tried too hard to be sexy and once again her acting barely passed. With many more exciting young actresses out there I was surprised that someone thought Claire Danes who played Julie like a ditzy tramp could be smart enough to be a cop. This is the movie that proved Danes is not leading lady material. She does much better as a supporting actress. This was awful and unless you've got the hots for any of these three people don't waste your time. Poor Omar, thank goodness he went on to better roles. If you like new adaptations of old shows, I'd watch the new Charlie's Angels movies. They may not be perfect but at least they aren't boring.

Embarrasing.
For those who don't know, the premise of the TV show was that these three troubled kids had some attitude but were actually decent, sympathetic characters. And they had as their "father figure", Captain Greer.

Just copy that formula, with Clarie Danes--who IS cute--and bingo, instant hit.

But no. First we kill off the guy who's supposed to watch over them. Next, we make them unsympathetic slackers. Finally, add a dash of silly, dated dialog like "Solid, man". (Which sounded ridiculous, even in the 60s, trust me).

I don't know who Giovanni is but he should get some sleep and try breathing through his nose so he can close his mouth occasionally. Even when he isn't talking his mouth is open.

Didn't they give any thought to the lack of chemistry between these actors--and how unappealing they are in these roles? I'd send them back to prison.

more like 2 in a half
this movie has 3 good leads in the roles of Julie, Pete and Linc. but theres some funkyness and stupidity in some of this one, especially in Michael Lerner's Howard character, the man who dances with Omar Epps. Giovanni Ribisi is the stand out here as Pete, hes crazy and likable. my favorite scenes with him are teh scene with the carwash and the ones where he has the gun, hes so great with the gun, Claire Danes looks delicious in her black undies and Epps is buffer then ever. a good view and I having seen the tv show its based on though I hear its kinda good and corny.

Negative Stars Apply
First of all, Peggy Lipton's Julie would have whipped Claire Danes' Julie two times over and thrice on Sunday. How such a cool TV show could go bad as a movie boggles the mind. Ribisi's a great actor, but he's totally miscast at Pete. Same goes for Omar - not the Linc I had in mind AT ALL!!

Seriously, those of us who actually paid money to see this dribble weren't going in for Masterpiece Theatre. What we got was the thrill of telling everyone we know that we paid to see one of the worst films of all time. Yippee. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

MORE CORN & ONIONS
This movie really blows! It's among the worst I've ever seen. Not recommended.

Pretty Good if You're Bound and Gagged for Two Hours
Mod Squad is nothing to watch on purpose mind you. It's one of those bad films that requires no thinking at all to get through. That's probably why you could be watching it for over an hour and not even realize what anyone in the scenes are doing. This is the worst ripoff of a television series I have ever seen. The characters didn't act anything like the originals. Omar Epps rocked and as a black person I was embarrassed he even took a part in the mess. He is too good of an actor to even think of taking a role where he had so little to do. Ribisi was unnoticable as the " dumb " one of the group. His lines were supposed to be funny but he only ended up making me more bored. Claire Danes was stylish for once but she tried too hard to be sexy and once again her acting barely passed. With many more exciting young actresses out there I was surprised that someone thought Claire Danes who played Julie like a ditzy tramp could be smart enough to be a cop. This is the movie that proved Danes is not leading lady material. She does much better as a supporting actress. This was awful and unless you've got the hots for any of these three people don't waste your time. Poor Omar, thank goodness he went on to better roles. If you like new adaptations of old shows, I'd watch the new Charlie's Angels movies. They may not be perfect but at least they aren't boring.

Embarrasing.
For those who don't know, the premise of the TV show was that these three troubled kids had some attitude but were actually decent, sympathetic characters. And they had as their "father figure", Captain Greer.

Just copy that formula, with Clarie Danes--who IS cute--and bingo, instant hit.

But no. First we kill off the guy who's supposed to watch over them. Next, we make them unsympathetic slackers. Finally, add a dash of silly, dated dialog like "Solid, man". (Which sounded ridiculous, even in the 60s, trust me).

I don't know who Giovanni is but he should get some sleep and try breathing through his nose so he can close his mouth occasionally. Even when he isn't talking his mouth is open.

Didn't they give any thought to the lack of chemistry between these actors--and how unappealing they are in these roles? I'd send them back to prison.

more like 2 in a half
this movie has 3 good leads in the roles of Julie, Pete and Linc. but theres some funkyness and stupidity in some of this one, especially in Michael Lerner's Howard character, the man who dances with Omar Epps. Giovanni Ribisi is the stand out here as Pete, hes crazy and likable. my favorite scenes with him are teh scene with the carwash and the ones where he has the gun, hes so great with the gun, Claire Danes looks delicious in her black undies and Epps is buffer then ever. a good view and I having seen the tv show its based on though I hear its kinda good and corny.

Negative Stars Apply
First of all, Peggy Lipton's Julie would have whipped Claire Danes' Julie two times over and thrice on Sunday. How such a cool TV show could go bad as a movie boggles the mind. Ribisi's a great actor, but he's totally miscast at Pete. Same goes for Omar - not the Linc I had in mind AT ALL!!

Seriously, those of us who actually paid money to see this dribble weren't going in for Masterpiece Theatre. What we got was the thrill of telling everyone we know that we paid to see one of the worst films of all time. Yippee. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Timelessly entertaining and worthy of cult status, StrangeInvaders is beloved among sci-fi enthusiasts as an early-'80s tribute to its1950s counterparts. It's got a touch of satire that Joe Dante fans willappreciate, but director Michael Laughlin seems more intent on honoringalien-invasion classics like The Thing and Invasion of the BodySnatchers while offering a low-budget alternative to Close Encounters ofthe Third Kind. There's even a quick Steven Spielberg sight gag as anaffectionate sign of the times, and the film's deliberately cheap-looking styleblends well with eerie special effects and gooey alien makeup. The plot issimple--Paul LeMat investigates the disappearance of his ex-wife (Diana Scarwid)in a small Illinois town that's been occupied by aliens for 25 years--but themovie's creepy atmosphere and well-chosen cast (including Nancy Allen, LouiseFletcher, and The Thing's Kenneth Tobey) make it a fine companion to thefilms that inspired it. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A major disappointment
It's obvious that the producers had good intentions for STRANGE INVADERS. Unfortunately I found the result tired, forced and lazy; despite the presence of cult faves Kenneth Tobey (THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS), June Lockhart (TV's LOST IN SPACE) and Fiona Lewis (DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN, THE FURY). The acting is ham-fisted and this "spoof" of 50s alien invasion movies is almost a complete wash out.

Such a great sci-fi movie!
I remember seeing this movie back in the early eighties...and it was a really good one, with lots of wierd imagery and unexpected scenes. After a while, they didn't show it any more, and I couldn't ever find it on video until now...which made me buy it as soon as I could...and I loved it all the more! I recommend this movie to anyone who likes a sci-fi movie with unexpected twists.

Invitingly Weird!
Both an entertaining sci-fi spoof and a satisfying example of the genre in and of itself. Searching for his missing ex-wife, hero Paul LeMat travels to her hometown of Centerville (aka "Anytown, USA"), where everyone seems a bit odd, and nothing seems to have changed much since 1958. Could the town have been taken over ... by aliens?! That laser-beaming finger might be a clue! Let the scary but good-natured fun begin. Genre fans will want to watch closely for the many homages to films and TV series from the 1950's through the early 1980's including "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Lost in Space" (June Lockhart and Mark Goddard have small roles), "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", and dozens more. Other viewers may want to simply concentrate on the fine performances of LeMat, Louise Fletcher, Michael Lerner, Wallace Shawn, and especially leading lady Nancy Allen whose uniquely sassy charm serves the film well. The strangest performance is given by Diana Scarwid, who plays LeMat's ex-wife; she recites her lines in the same flat, sing-song voice that she used to play the adult Christina Crawford in "Mommie Dearest", and while her tone is distractingly obnoxious, she's impossible to dislike.

The widescreen DVD presentation, though not anamorphic, is completely acceptable and beautifully showcases the often gorgeous cinematography. The sound and video tranfers are fine, although the source print does seem a bit grainy near the beginning of the movie. Extras include a director's commentary and the Original Theatrical Trailer. Overall, a very nice edition of a film that deservedly enjoys a small - but loyal - cult following.

Very Entertaining
I remember seeing Strange Invaders back in the mid 80's. It really was an interesting movie. Now, watching it again, I can see that this film is a great homage to the "alien" movies of the 50's. Many of the scenes (especially the opening scenes) are very dark, murky and a little off focus, but many of the 50's films were this way too. It was made to look like a cheap movie. Even the opening credits are a bit odd. Once the plot gets going though, you are treated to a good story with decent special effects. The cast is top notch and they do a great job with this "tongue and cheek" material. Be sure to listen for an old R.E.M. song in the background (when LeMat is feeding his dog) and look for 2 Lost in Space cast members in small supporting roles. Now, if we can just get this in widescreen and on DVD.....

Beware the Avon lady!
A well-intentioned sci-fi romp that suffers a bit due to an indecisive director.He starts out with a campy, affectionate spoof of 50's sci-fi films (a la "Matinee"); but at midpoint does a 180 degree spin and gets "serious". In spite of this problem,the appealing performers hold your interest. Paul LeMat is an etymologist (who should have looked closer at his ex-wife's anatomy!)and Nancy Allen is the "Weekly World News"-type writer who joins him on an "X-Files" style investigation. There are some very funny bits, especially involving an Avon lady (who redefines the concept of "doing a face peel"). You'll have to look fast for a clever visual gag involving Steven Spielberg's photo. There's enough quirky charm here to even forgive the scene showing someone playing a video arcade game (in the 1950's?!).Note of irony: a subplot involving LeMat's daughter eerily pre-sages the Elian Gonzales situation (talk about an illegal alien!) Mostly harmless. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

could have been worse
The movie isn't bad. It's not great either, but definitely isn't bad. I have to hand it to these guys. I live in the town that it was supposed to take place in (Galesburg, Illinois), and they actually do a good job makind New Zealand look like my town. There are a few shots, that are almost too close to the real thing. I haven't seen this movie in awhile. The local video store had it with the title Dead Kids. They don't have it any longer, so unfortunately I can't give much more recommendation. I would still say to give it a shot.

Odd but an interesting premise
The gist of the story is revenge by Dr. LeSange against the town who didnt appreciate his ideas on behavior control...the music is typical tangerine dream and enhances the moodiness of the film..i saw this on HBO 20 years ago and videotaped it...not as shocking as when I first saw it except the scene where the cop's son is given the injection...ive seem worse horror films and would recommend it

Even Stranger Music
Very odd horror/slasher flick with its real New Zealand location subbing for a generic anywhere USA. The musical numbers ranging from Popular Mechanix to Lou Christie (for God's Sake!)is actually a lot of fun culminating in an almost Twin Peaks masquerade/dancing party.Special effects are mininmal, as is the blood but nobody plays an erotic college prof. better than the English actress involved,a real hoot and reminded me of the old 1940s' Spider Woman vs. Sherlock Holmes

Shoddy slasher peice!
A very strange film about kids being turned into murderers by a mad doctor. Notable only for a scene where a guy start's pissing blood! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a film about mistaken idenitdy means this film is a mistake
Not at all a well done thriller boring and rather unclear about a young man`s visit to russia and is mistaken for a killer. Too many loopholes with the plot to be actually taken seroisley. A bad film all the way not worth anything to write about it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

could have been worse
The movie isn't bad. It's not great either, but definitely isn't bad. I have to hand it to these guys. I live in the town that it was supposed to take place in (Galesburg, Illinois), and they actually do a good job makind New Zealand look like my town. There are a few shots, that are almost too close to the real thing. I haven't seen this movie in awhile. The local video store had it with the title Dead Kids. They don't have it any longer, so unfortunately I can't give much more recommendation. I would still say to give it a shot.

Odd but an interesting premise
The gist of the story is revenge by Dr. LeSange against the town who didnt appreciate his ideas on behavior control...the music is typical tangerine dream and enhances the moodiness of the film..i saw this on HBO 20 years ago and videotaped it...not as shocking as when I first saw it except the scene where the cop's son is given the injection...ive seem worse horror films and would recommend it

Even Stranger Music
Very odd horror/slasher flick with its real New Zealand location subbing for a generic anywhere USA. The musical numbers ranging from Popular Mechanix to Lou Christie (for God's Sake!)is actually a lot of fun culminating in an almost Twin Peaks masquerade/dancing party.Special effects are mininmal, as is the blood but nobody plays an erotic college prof. better than the English actress involved,a real hoot and reminded me of the old 1940s' Spider Woman vs. Sherlock Holmes

Shoddy slasher peice!
A very strange film about kids being turned into murderers by a mad doctor. Notable only for a scene where a guy start's pissing blood! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Charming
This is one of those delightful movies that gets overlooked by critics and viewers. But it is one of my favorites because it is so charming and sincere. I love the fact that it's about traffic engineering- something that I've always wondered about myself when driving through congested streets. I would think about the optimal way to time the lights so that less people would be stuck in traffic. The other reason why this movie is special to me is because of the memories it brings back of the time when I first saw it in 1996, with my ex-girlfriend, on HBO on a lazy Friday night. The scenes with the beautiful lighting in the apartment yard or the hilarious scenes of Christine Lahti as the horny landlord sort of meld into the memories and impressions I have of that ecstatic time in my life. I love the way movies or music can do that. So I guess we all have our personal movies that do that to us.

Cute
Hey, sometimes it's great to see a simple movie. This one is no great genius, and it's pretty predictable, but it IS perfectly adorable. An entertaining 2 hours.

a quirky, fun movie about traffic and naked people
One of my favorite new actors teams up with Anne Heche to produce a fun, wacky view of live traffic reports and interpretive dance. I was hooked the first time I saw it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Charming
This is one of those delightful movies that gets overlooked by critics and viewers. But it is one of my favorites because it is so charming and sincere. I love the fact that it's about traffic engineering- something that I've always wondered about myself when driving through congested streets. I would think about the optimal way to time the lights so that less people would be stuck in traffic. The other reason why this movie is special to me is because of the memories it brings back of the time when I first saw it in 1996, with my ex-girlfriend, on HBO on a lazy Friday night. The scenes with the beautiful lighting in the apartment yard or the hilarious scenes of Christine Lahti as the horny landlord sort of meld into the memories and impressions I have of that ecstatic time in my life. I love the way movies or music can do that. So I guess we all have our personal movies that do that to us.

Cute
Hey, sometimes it's great to see a simple movie. This one is no great genius, and it's pretty predictable, but it IS perfectly adorable. An entertaining 2 hours.

a quirky, fun movie about traffic and naked people
One of my favorite new actors teams up with Anne Heche to produce a fun, wacky view of live traffic reports and interpretive dance. I was hooked the first time I saw it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great movie; very underrated
This movie is outstanding! I had never heard of it until I saw it on Amazon and bought it. It is very good, for never hearing of it. The casting is absolutely perfect. Ty Brian and Dunst, if you think about it, do look a little like twins. Anyway, the movie is basically about two lost twins after a plane crash, and what troubles lie ahead of their journey back to civilization. There is much determination in the acting, and is very good in that category. I reccomend this movie to anyone who likes Drama, Action/Adventure, or much less anybody who appreciates movies! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

ok for a normal night
absolutely nothing special, and non convincing at some moments. I cannot understand how could only one person be able to drive an old Russian tank and fire its gun at the same time.

astoundingly bad!
It's impossible to describe the level of absurdity this movie reaches. There is not a single thing right about it. It's incomprehensible that this thing was ever made; you've got to admire the insane levels of self-confidence necessary for letting this project go forward. The most vile assaults on logic accompany a tasteless script and mediocre acting. Every "twist" in this faux-psycho thriller/fighter-jock flick is telegraphed ten miles in advance, but you never believe they are willing to do something so obtuse.

Made in 1998, this movie makes Iron Eagle ('85) look positively clever and up to date. In fact the uber-low budget 'Tactical Assault' looks and feels like an awkward mid-80s clunker. Nothing is at all convincing, despite being utterly predictable. Military jargon is thrown around haplessly and the attempt to portray some kind of "war," that embarrassingly makes no sense whatsoever ("We've got a broken arrow situation here"). They try to pass F-4s off as MiGs, then have them combate F-16s ("He's on my tail. Get him off!!!") - pathetic. Whenever a decision has to be made by any of the characters, exactly the wrong choice is made. The characters, supposedly hot shot pilots, are merely insults to the gene pool. Nothing makes a lick of sense. There's no way and no point to listing this movie's inanities, but the tank scene alone (no security for parked tanks that are actually sitting loaded...) is priceless. We can only compliment it for the humorous lows it achieves.

TYPICAL B-MOVIE
Ok, as much as I hate to say it, this film is nothing special. I think Rutger Hauer is a phenomenal actor, but the movies he's been in over the past five years really stink. The film is bearable but don't expect too much. Special effects are minimal and the filming of flight scenes are not very convincing - poor version of Top Gun. If you are a Rutger Hauer fan stick to movies such as the Hitcher, Wanted Dead or Alive(VHS format only), and Blade Runner. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

could have been worse
The movie isn't bad. It's not great either, but definitely isn't bad. I have to hand it to these guys. I live in the town that it was supposed to take place in (Galesburg, Illinois), and they actually do a good job makind New Zealand look like my town. There are a few shots, that are almost too close to the real thing. I haven't seen this movie in awhile. The local video store had it with the title Dead Kids. They don't have it any longer, so unfortunately I can't give much more recommendation. I would still say to give it a shot.

Odd but an interesting premise
The gist of the story is revenge by Dr. LeSange against the town who didnt appreciate his ideas on behavior control...the music is typical tangerine dream and enhances the moodiness of the film..i saw this on HBO 20 years ago and videotaped it...not as shocking as when I first saw it except the scene where the cop's son is given the injection...ive seem worse horror films and would recommend it

Even Stranger Music
Very odd horror/slasher flick with its real New Zealand location subbing for a generic anywhere USA. The musical numbers ranging from Popular Mechanix to Lou Christie (for God's Sake!)is actually a lot of fun culminating in an almost Twin Peaks masquerade/dancing party.Special effects are mininmal, as is the blood but nobody plays an erotic college prof. better than the English actress involved,a real hoot and reminded me of the old 1940s' Spider Woman vs. Sherlock Holmes

Shoddy slasher peice!
A very strange film about kids being turned into murderers by a mad doctor. Notable only for a scene where a guy start's pissing blood! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

ok for a normal night
absolutely nothing special, and non convincing at some moments. I cannot understand how could only one person be able to drive an old Russian tank and fire its gun at the same time.

astoundingly bad!
It's impossible to describe the level of absurdity this movie reaches. There is not a single thing right about it. It's incomprehensible that this thing was ever made; you've got to admire the insane levels of self-confidence necessary for letting this project go forward. The most vile assaults on logic accompany a tasteless script and mediocre acting. Every "twist" in this faux-psycho thriller/fighter-jock flick is telegraphed ten miles in advance, but you never believe they are willing to do something so obtuse.

Made in 1998, this movie makes Iron Eagle ('85) look positively clever and up to date. In fact the uber-low budget 'Tactical Assault' looks and feels like an awkward mid-80s clunker. Nothing is at all convincing, despite being utterly predictable. Military jargon is thrown around haplessly and the attempt to portray some kind of "war," that embarrassingly makes no sense whatsoever ("We've got a broken arrow situation here"). They try to pass F-4s off as MiGs, then have them combate F-16s ("He's on my tail. Get him off!!!") - pathetic. Whenever a decision has to be made by any of the characters, exactly the wrong choice is made. The characters, supposedly hot shot pilots, are merely insults to the gene pool. Nothing makes a lick of sense. There's no way and no point to listing this movie's inanities, but the tank scene alone (no security for parked tanks that are actually sitting loaded...) is priceless. We can only compliment it for the humorous lows it achieves.

TYPICAL B-MOVIE
Ok, as much as I hate to say it, this film is nothing special. I think Rutger Hauer is a phenomenal actor, but the movies he's been in over the past five years really stink. The film is bearable but don't expect too much. Special effects are minimal and the filming of flight scenes are not very convincing - poor version of Top Gun. If you are a Rutger Hauer fan stick to movies such as the Hitcher, Wanted Dead or Alive(VHS format only), and Blade Runner. ... Read more

Description

Someone killed Mickey?s wife, kidnapped his son?s girlfriend and set up his son with a murder rap - and that someone is a drug and woman-hustling crook called Gideon. Is Mickey going to get him? With a vengeance - and with a Conflict of Interest. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Avoid
There should be a law against this film - it will damage your brain.

A flashback shows how a woman is killed when she is caught in the crossfire between local goons lead by Judd Nelson. Turns out this woman was married to a cop, who, of course, blames himself for her murder.

Fast forward to the present day and the cop's now teenaged son Jason becomes entangled with Judd and his goons-on-loan, after he takes a fancy to Judd's girlfriend Alyssa Milano. So its up to daddy-the-guilt-racked-cop to load his gun and save the day.

Actually the film sounds quite good wrote down, but don't be fooled. The biggest surprise is that Alyssa keeps her clothes on. Then again, she's only on screen for 5 mins.

-- Don't waste your money --

Kickin' ass is the name of the game!
This movie rocked my world. Judd Nelson is an underappreciated, versatile actor who also has a great behind. This was his best performance since Suddenly Susan episode 12. Buy this movie quickly before someone else gets the last one. I have six copies myself. I'm going to use them as Christmas, Hanukkah, birthday and anniversary presents. Buy, buy.

So NOT worth your money
I'm sorry but this film is [junk]. It only gets two stars because I feel sorry for ALYSSA MILANO (why I got the video in the first place). Alyssa is the only one who can act, but shes shoved into a small, unchallening role. You know the storyline - cops wife is killed, cop mopes around, cop goes back to work only to have son framed for another murder. Throw in some guns, topless women (not Alyssa), and pointless sex scenes. The result? The most boring movie of all time. ... Read more